Korean Job Discussion Forums

okiedokie · Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Seoul

Swampfox is right. I had a Korean friend research it before getting me mine.

The pump type pepper spray is okay to have here.

Although it might not be as powerful as the pressurized spray I can tell you that having taken the cap off the spray nozzle for only a second out of curiosity I felt the strength of it. My eyes and throat were a little irritated.

I'm confident that if a person got close enough for someone to deem it neccessary to use pepper spray then pressurized spray or pump spray will make little difference. I think both would do the job of buying you some time.

Get a Korean friend to help you find the right ones on Gmarket.

NSMatt · Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Location: London

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

As to the legality I do not really know to spray and it usage. But here is a fact to understand. You as a foreigner will be in the disadvantage concerning any defense. Let's say you do defend yourself and spray would be attacker. You get to safety and later you find yourself at the police station explaining the situation. The odds are you will find yourself arrested or being fined or worse having to pay your attacker money. Do you have an extra 1,000,000 or more won.

Over time you will hear of tales of somebody who defended themselves or got into a simple fight or even just pushed somebody and find themselves being arrested or having to pay blood money to their attacker. Heck you can be in the complete right and still your word is likely going to mean less then a Koreans. It comes down to a he said/she said - Korean/Waygook said. And your attacker is going to likely lie and lie and lie. Unless you have something on tape and you have serious wounds you will still be in trouble.

One popular blogger once while taking pictures of some Korean models was bothered by a drunk Korean man. The blogger is a semi professional photographer and speaks pretty good Korean and he had to defend himself against accusations from this guy and the Koreans word was worth more then the foreigner. The foreigner was arrested and had to defend himself legally.

Two links to check out. First a story to thing about and two some advice from the same blogger.

http://metropolitician.blogs.com/scribblings_of_the_metrop/2010/10/index.html

http://metropolitician.blogs.com/scribblings_of_the_metrop/2008/12/tips-to-avoid-being-assaulted-in-korea.html

Well good you got away.